Copperopolis Road Race Recap

What can one say...

DBCJRT took some lumps, especially in the 13/14 and 15/16 races. El Gigante, Mechanical, Zach S, and Torey succumbed to the hill, and we missed the podium in the 15/16 sprint. The 13/14 boyz got blasted on the climb, but April made the second step on the podium for the girlz. Perhaps Kelbster said it best, "That was the hardest thing I've ever done."

The 10-12 race had a little-bit-o-drama... Karcherific went over the top of the final climb with the eventual winner, but got gapped on the descent. He chased in vain, but couldn't make up the ground. Rumor has it that the winner mixed in with some old dudes going downhill and that was just enough to allow him to stay away from Karch... if it tis true, naughty, naughty. Still, second place ain't bad for the littlest kidlet.

Had a front row seat in the follow vehicle for the 17/18's, and it was some of the best racing I've seen in awhile... 3 laps of guts, machismo, and bids for glory. The long and short of it is some great racing by all involved.

First lap... Shenanigans on the hill whittled the lead group to nine, but half-hearted attacks allowed for a small regrouping and there were 14 together at the feed zone on trip number two up the hill... Staz and AWfoSho from DBCJRT, Avis and Levaton from Specialized, Ferguson and Bolster from Ride for a Reason, Rocket Sports Racing's Christensen, and a smattering of others from Tieni Duro, Giant, and Colavita.

Second lap... The dreaded hill did its work, leaving just seven together as they reached the steepest ramps at the top of the climb. Avis and Ferguson snuck away and went over the top with about 20 seconds in hand. The chase consisted of Christensen, AWfoSho, Staz, Levaton, and Bolster. The latter two had teammates up the road so the chase was left to AWfoSho, Staz and Christensen. It took the better part of the top half of the course, but the catch eventually happened. The chase was interesting in its own right...

AWfoSho and Staz guttered it against the centerline to make life uncomfortable for Levaton and Bolster, who were rightfully sitting on.

Now, sitting on is one thing, blocking another... At one point, Levaton refused to relinquish the third wheel in the group to AWfoSho as he drifted back from taking his pull... Blocking is a sound tactic, but if one is going to mess with the rotation of the chase, one better be ready for some aggressive riding... Given that the chase was going full gas and barely making headway into the two leaders, AWfoSho could not afford to let Levaton mess with the rotation. To show his displeasure, AWfoSho used a rather firm elbow to move Edan off the wheel... all is fair in love and war, especially if one is actively blocking. Needless to say, the elbow did the job and next time AWfoSho rotated back, Levaton was more than gracious in giving up the coveted third wheel.

Somewhere during the chase, Staz and Christensen lost contact with the group, leaving AWfoSho to close the gap alone with Bolster and Levaton in tow... Once the gap was closed, Specialized and Ride for a Reason made a tactical error. Levaton and/or Bolster should have immediately counter attacked, putting AWfoSho on the defensive again. Instead, the lead group sat up and allowed Staz to return... he did just that, but didn't pause to chat. He went straight thru them forcing Specialized to chase and giving AWfoSho a much needed break. Staz was caught shortly thereafter, leaving six together to start the final lap...

The make-up of the lead group was interesting... two from Ride for a Reason, two from Specialized, and two from DBCJRT... with DBCJRT having the weakest climbers.

Final lap... AWfoSho didn't wait for the hill to play DBCJRT's cards. He sent Staz up the road shortly before the feed zone. This move served three purposes. First, it would force the other two teams to chase and allow AWfoSho to sit on; second, it would give a nearly cooked Staz a chance to make it over the climb ahead of or with the group; and third, it would force Avis to ride a steady pace up the climb instead of continually attacking... something that most likely would have cracked AWfoSho.

Text book tactics that nearly worked... until the final steep pitches at the top of the climb. Staz was reeled in and spit out the back as Avis and Levaton counter attacked. AWfoSho, Bolster, and Ferguson went over the top about twenty seconds in arrears in a near mirror image of lap number two, except that this time AWfoSho had allies in Bolster and Ferguson...

Ferguson cracked during the ensuing ten mile chase, but AWfoSho and Bolster made contact with the leading Duo a couple of k's before the final climb. Again Specialized made a tactical mistake. They should have sent Levaton up the road again, thus putting Bolster and AWfoSho on the defensive and giving Avis a free ride. Instead the group sat up and rolled to the base of the final climb together.

Levaton cracked as soon as the road pitched up. Avis upped the pace and at one point all three of the leaders were massaging their hamstrings in attempts to ward off cramping. Bolster looked the freshest on the hill and, just as I was thinking that he should take a dig, he attacked. Avis was able to follow, but AWfoSho was forced to remain seated as standing induced cramping.

The lead duo went over the top with about 20 seconds and were in full flight. AWfoSho gritted his teeth and set about chasing for a third time. This time downhill. Bolster absolutely pinned it on the front with Avis in tow. AWfoSho was laid out on the top tube, butt under the saddle and chin on the stem. He was making up time, but not fast enough. Some ballsy riding by all three down that hill. I was pretty sure that I'd be picking at least one of them up off the pavement.

At the bottom of the hill the gap was about 10 seconds, and Avis took the lead in front. AWfoSho was hoping for some cat-n-mouse by the leaders that would allow him to regroup, but Avis put his head down and drilled it. At the 200 meter sign, AWfoSho had nailed the gap back to 10 meters when he finally imploded. There would be no catch. Avis was in a tough spot. He new that if he sat up a faster finisher would have caught them. He also new if he stayed on the front, Bolster would most likely come around him at the line... what to do? In the end, Bolster did come around him, but sprinted over the centerline and received a DQ for his efforts. AWfoSho rolled in third, but was bumped to second because of the centerline violation.

Gotta feel bad for Bolster. the kidlet raced his guts out, but rules is rules...

To all y'all out there reading this here blog... that is how bicycles should be raced. The kidlets raced on savvy and tactics and bravado. And when that was gone, they raced on guts. And when that was gone they raced on whatever they could find. All three were completely blown at the end. All three can be proud of what they left out on the course...